CUT AND PASTE

GAMES/World of Puzzles

April, 2025

Stephen Sniderman 

 

Cut two consecutive letters from each word in the left-hand column and paste a word from the right-hand column in the space you just created so that a new word appears. For example, if CAVIAR were in the left-hand column and LEND in the the right-hand column, you coud drop the VI in CAVIAR and replace it with LEND to spell CALENDAR

 

You may cut any letters that are next to each other, including the first two or the last two. So you might drop the BR from BRIO and replace it with STUD to make STUDIO. You might cut the EO from ROMEO and paste ANTIC in its place to spell ROMANTIC. 

Some words in the right-hand column may fit in more than one word in the left-hand column, but the solution to the entire puzzle is unique. The first answer is filled in as an example - cutting the letters KA from SKATER and inserting the word PINS in their place to get SPINSTER.

 

[Note from JA: Kudos to all who can solve this puzzle without the hints. I spent several hours on it and solved half the clues before I gave in and consulted the Answers page to get the letters that were cut from the remaining words. I have provided all the cut letters as hints. 

 

This is a lengthy puzzle - typical of Sniderman's GAMES' puzzles - but I chose to include it all in one post to capture the scope of this constructor's astounding ability to take words apart and put them back together. Stephen Sniderman passed away in 2023 at the age of 80.]

 

1. SKATER   SPINSTER              A. HANDEL

2. METRIC   _________               B. HEARS

3. CONVINCE  _______               C. COVER     

4. GOBLET   __________             D. DUAL

5. REVUE.   ___________             E. THROB 

6. DISMAY ____________            F. SPEND

7. PUNIC _______________         G. CAVE

8. INVITE _______________        H. MITTEN

9. RIOTED _______________       I. EVENT

10. MAMBA _____________        J. LICIT 

11. DECLINE ____________        K. AUNT

12. SUFFERS ____________        L. BAND 

13. COPIER _____________         M. ARTY

14. INTERACT __________          N. PINS 

15. SWINGER ___________         O. NICK

16. SCREEN _____________        P. DOLE

17. SOAKED _____________       Q. CULP

18. TAWDRY _____________       R. VERB

19. GRAVELY ____________        S. HERE

20. MOOR _______________        T. CHAN 

21. VENOUS _____________        U. TERM

22. STATURE _____________       V. ROSA

23. PARTY _______________       W. PEST

24. BADGE ______________        X. MOTH

25. HUSKY ______________        Y. IGOR

26. INFANT ______________        Z. CUBA  

HINTS:

Letters to be cut:

1. KA

2. TR

3. VI

4. OB

5. VU

6. MA

7. UN

8. VI

9. OT

10. BA 

11. CL

12. FF

13. OP

14. AC

15. WI

16. CR

17. AK

18. WD 

19. VE

20. OO 

21. EN

22. TA

23. RT

24. DG

25. KY

26. FA 

Answers:

 

1. SPINSTER

2. MECHANIC

3. CONDOLENCE

4. GAUNTLET

5. REHEARSE

6. DISCOVERY

7. PROSAIC

8. INCUBATE

9. RIVERBED

10. MAMMOTH 

11. DETERMINE

12. SUSPENDERS 

13. CHANDELIER

14. INTERMITTENT 

15. SCAVENGER

16. SEVENTEEN 

17. SOLICITED

18. TAPESTRY 

19. GRADUALLY

20. MARTYR 

21. VIGOROUS

22. SCULPTURE 

23. PANICKY

24. BATHROBE 

25. HUSBAND

26. INHERENT